


i'm pretty sure that i do

by swarmsoflizards



Category: Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, Multi, New Relationship, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 09:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6001063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swarmsoflizards/pseuds/swarmsoflizards
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tessa and Jem have a conversation. Will interrupts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm pretty sure that i do

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in forever. My life's been weird, and I haven't had much time to write. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. But I haven't forgotten you, I promise! I plan to update a ton of my WIPs soon. Stay tuned, I guess. Whatever.
> 
> This work is part of a larger thing I'm working on. I guess it could be a sequel, except that I'm posting it first. Once I post the other thing, I'll probably mark it as a series, I don't know. I just wanted to post this because it's Valentine's Day, and I miss posting shit, and I've never posted any TID stuff, somehow? 
> 
> Well, enjoy.

_I never know if I love you_

_I'm pretty sure that I do_

_All I know it it's gotten sunny_

 

-Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, _["I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKXY25iBsdg)_[ _Do"_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKXY25iBsdg)

 

_\- - -_

 

Tessa sat on the couch, gazing out at the sunrise. The sky was a wash of soft pinks and oranges, the sun just starting to peek out over the tops of the other buildings. The snow was sparkling slightly where it was piled up at the edges of the road, still new enough not to be powdered gray with gravel and muck. Tessa took a sip of her coffee.

She was content, she realized, tucking her legs under her. Here she was, wearing sweatpants and one of Will’s massive shirts, drinking cheap coffee that was still barely drinkable despite the boatloads of sugar she’d added to it- and there was nowhere in the world she’d rather be. She pulled the blanket from the back of the couch around herself and smiled.

“Care if I join you?” came Jem’s soft voice, and she turned to see him leaning against the door. She patted the space next to her on the couch, and he walked over. As he sat down, back against the armrest so he was facing her, he asked, “What are you doing up so early?”

“I couldn't sleep,” she answered with a shrug.

“I hope it wasn't either of us,” he said, looking apologetic.

“Don’t be silly, of course it wasn't. Besides, look at that view!” She made a sweeping hand gesture. “Couldn’t miss that, could I?”

“Certainly not.” He looked like he may have said something else, but the cat jumped up between them and started rubbing against his leg. Jem scratched behind his ears, and Church began purring in earnest.

“What about you?”

“Hm?”

“What are you doing up this early?”

“I was going to feed the cat. I always do it this early,” Jem’s voice was appropriately quiet for the hour, seemingly not wanting to disturb the stillness of the morning.

“You do? I've never even noticed.” He must be very careful, for neither her or Will to stir.

Jem laughed softly. “Yes, he always wakes me up at the same time. He's a creature of routine. If I refused to budge, I imagine he'd try you or Will.”

Tessa smiled into her coffee. “And you couldn't have that.”

“Of course not.” Church was on his lap now, purring contentedly. “He seems to have forgotten about it, though.” Tessa reached over to scratch behind his ear, and he made a surprised squeak. “You're growing on him.”

“Really?” Tessa asked, surprised. Church may not swipe at her anymore, but he still didn't usually seem pleased with her.

“Yes. See? He's still purring.” And he was; Tessa could scarcely believe it.

“What do you know,” she murmured, smiling again.

They were silent again, for a little while. Tessa looked back out the window, at the slowly-rising sun. The view was the same as it was every other time she’d been here, but it felt different this morning. _This morning_ felt different. Tessa said, “I’m still getting used to it. This.”

“Ah,” Jem returned his attention to her.

“I know what you’re thinking. I’m not uncomfortable, or unsure, or… anything like that. I’m happy,” she said, looking him in the eye. “Honestly. It’s just still new, is all.”

“I understand.” And of course he did, because he was Jem. “I’m happy too,” and he smiled, small but brilliant. He was like the sun right now, she decided- soft, light, and beautiful. Will was more like the sun was later, high and utterly bright, but right now it belonged to Jem. Tessa leaned slightly against his leg.

“I keep waiting for the bubble to burst, you know? I’ve never been this happy before and not had it go sour.”

“Perhaps it will. But… Tessa, Will and I both care for you very much. I can’t speak for him, but the universe will have to work very hard to tear me from your side. You’re a part of our lives. I don’t think it will go sour for a good long while.”

She swallowed against a sudden tightness in her throat. “Me neither.”

“It’s beautiful,” Jem said after a while, looking back out at the sky. The edges of the clouds were all lit up, the sun itself barely visible. People were just starting to venture outside, early morning joggers and dog-walkers leaving their homes and an unlucky few heading to work. The apartment wasn’t too high up, but they still seemed very small.

“Yeah,” she said. It is.”

Then Will, hunched over and bleary-eyed, burst through the door and said, “You two better have made some fucking coffee,” because it was too early for him to be poetic, and she laughed.

“The pot’s nearly full,” she said, and instead of responding he went straight for it. Tessa watched as he poured a cup so full it was in danger of overflowing and gulped down a large portion of it right away.

“What?” he asked when he noticed her staring.

“Nothing,” she responded, but Jem caught her eye and they shared a smile.

“Well, fine, keep your secrets. I’m making waffles. Come help me, I don’t know how.”

“We don’t have a waffle iron,” Jem said, clearly holding in a laugh.

“Seriously? Tess, do you have a waffle iron?”

“No.”

“Dammit. Then I guess we’re making pancakes.”

“Why don’t we just go out?” asked Jem.

“Because I don’t want to get dressed this early.”

“What would you have done if I’d said I had a waffle iron?” asked Tessa.

“I don’t know. We could have driven over to your place and had delicious, perfect waffles. But instead we’re forced to have pancakes, like heathens. The next time we go out, we’re getting a waffle iron.”

So they both got up and went to the kitchen to help make pancakes, and Tessa ended up taking over because she knew her aunt’s decades-old recipe, but they ended up weird because they were out of baking soda. They still tasted pretty good, though, and Will declared that they were almost as good as waffles.

Tessa would still worry, and she suspected she would always worry, at least a little bit. But she was truly happy here, in this apartment, with these boys. She’d meant what she thought before, that there was nowhere on Earth she’d rather be. This was _right,_ and it was _good._ It was where she belonged.


End file.
